The use of renewable energy resources continues to be an important factor in satisfying energy demands while substantially reducing environmental impacts. Solar, hydropower, and water resource technologies, for example, continue to decrease in cost and increase in efficiency, while practically eliminating adverse environmental effects. Many conventional renewable recourse energy generation technologies, however, require large amounts of capital and/or real estate to implement. With respect to water generation facilities, for example, typical water rotors may be expensive to build and/or may be required to be sited in fast moving water. Water rotors designed to rotate from water energy flow typically fall into two broad categories: bladed propeller or turbine type systems that convert energy using blades spinning at velocities greater than the water flow speed to achieve power, and alternatively a category of typically inefficient Savonius styled water rotors that catch the flow, at slower than water flow speeds converting energy directly as torque. A typical Savonius styled water rotor or Savonius turbine will have a Coefficient of Power (“CoP”) of approximately 0.08 (or 8%), making them inefficient to use from an economic point of view. The first category “propeller-like” systems, although very efficient, require relatively fast water flow to capture energy, are relatively fragile and expensive to build in large sizes. Alternatively, a Savonius water rotor can operate in very slow water speed and is relatively inexpensive to build and operate.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for improved water rotors that address these and other problems found in existing technologies.